Automatic poison dispenser for rodent destructive animals and poison preparation for use therewith

ABSTRACT

The automatic poison dispenser consists of a tubular element (5) intended for being mounted vertically at a wall (2), a pole or the like and containing stacked solid poison rods (13). At the lower part of the tubular element there are means (8) allowing an end portion (13&#39;) of the lowest poison rod (13) to be exposed for destructive animals at a certain distance from a floor (3). Screening means (9) prevent dogs, cats, etc. from getting access to the exposed end portion (13&#39;) of the poison rod. A poison preparation in the form of solid rods (13) contain poison but for an upper end portion (13&#34;). To advantage the rods contain a mixture of poisoned so-called dry bait (typically about 2/3) and a stabilizing material or holder, preferably paraffin (typically about 1/3).

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an automatic poison dispenser for rodentdestructive animals, such as rats and mice, that is, an automaticdispenser which can be positioned in a place and filled with poison, thepoison being accessible so as to be eaten by destructive animals inorder to combat the latter. The invention also relates to a poisonpreparation that is suitable for use together with the automatic poisondispenser according to the invention.

BACKGROUND ART

Devices which are presently commonly used for positioning or presentingpoison or means of combating against rats, mice and the like, commonlycalled rat poison, comprise a box (in most cases of wood, plastic orpaper) wherein the rat poison is positioned in a loose form (poisonedso-called dry bait) and which is provided with entries through whichrats, mice, etc. can enter and eat from the rat poison.

These devices have many drawbacks and limitations. They are ratherclumsy and difficult to position in a protected way and in places wherethey will be of best use. Often they are run over, kicked off andknocked over, even by animals such as dogs, thereby involving the riskof demolition and the falling-out of rat poison. They are difficult tocheck with regard to the remaining amount of rat poison. Theuncertainties associated with the use of these devices mean that it willnot be possible to use the most efficient rat poisons which often arebased upon components, fish-meal for instance, that are attractive todomestic animals such as dogs and cats, and which contain stronglypoisonous substances.

OBJECT OF INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a new system for locating orpositioning rat poison whereby the above-mentioned drawbacks andlimitations will be removed and many advantages will be gained, such as:

(1) a rigid construction giving an entirely safe confinement of thepoison preparation;

(2) enables the use of poison preparations having tempting or attractiveingredients and strongly poisonous substances, even of the type Category1;

(3) a simple, adaptable design that needs very little space and may beplaced almost anywhere, particularly in narrow and hidden places, suchas in a wall corner etc.;

(4) enables a vertical positioning along a wall, a pole, a cable etc.;

(5) may be located in a stationary way and thereafter easily refilledwith poison preparation as required;

(6) an entirely moisture-proof arrangement of the poison preparation,the latter therefor not being affected by a wet floor, etc.;

(7) can be locked easily and also used out-of-doors;

(8) can be checked easily with regard to remaining content of poisonpreparation, even at a certain distance;

(9) has a storing function, that is a long-term functioning, for whatreason it need not be checked or refilled very often;

(10) uses a poison preparation in a solid form, facilitating thehandling thereof;

(11) easy to store, to transport and to mount, generally speaking.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The above-mentioned object is obtained in accordance with the inventionby means of an automatic poison dispenser, and a preparation to be usedtherewith, having the features defined in the appended claims.

Thus, the automatic poison dispenser according to the invention isessentially characterized in that it comprises an at least substantiallyclosed straight tubular element containing a poison preparation in theform of one or more solid rods axially stacked one upon the other, therods being designed so as to slide easily within the tubular element; inthat the tubular element is arranged, at one end, to allow the insertionof said poison rods and, at the other end, to allow an end portion onlyof the poison rod located at said end to be at least partially exposedwhen the dispenser is in a position of use; in that the poison rods arearranged, when in a position of use, to be fed successively towards saidother end of the tubular element and in that the tubular element, atsaid other end, is provided with screening means arranged to preventlarger animals, domestic animals, etc., from getting access to theexposed end portion of the poison rod, at least when the dispenser is ina position of use, but to allow rodent destructive animals to haveaccess to the exposed end portion of the poison rod.

Preferably, the automatic poison dispenser is intended to have anessentially vertical position of use, whereby the poison rods will befed vertically downwards towards the exposed position automatically dueto the influence of gravitational forces. In this position, the exposedend portion of the lowest poison rod will be accessible so as to beeaten from below and/or from the side.

On one hand, the tubular configuration, in combination with a verticalmounting, means that the dispenser can be applied to a wall, a pole, acable, a pile, etc., for example by means of surrounding clamps,so-called bundle bands, rubber bands, or the like, extremely easily. Onthe other hand, the dispenser will require very little room. Also, quitesimply it can be positioned in a corner formed by two walls where itwill be protected against external influence. At the same time, thisoften will be an advantageous location from a combat point of view.

Suitably, the automatic poison dispenser is positioned such that theexposed end portion of poison rod will be at a suitable distance fromthe base or floor, whereby any influence on the poison preparation dueto possible moisture or water on the floor will be entirely avoided.

Thus, the tubular element at its lower end, can be provided withprojecting stop means which, when the dispenser is in a position of usewhile in contact with a floor, for instance, cause the exposed poisonrod end portion and the screening means to be in a predeterminedsuitable position relative to the floor.

Advantageously, said screening means are designed so as to give arequired screening effect against greater animals, such as dogs andcats, by means of a co-action with adjoining portions of the floorand/or walls, whereby smaller openings will be defined through which thedestructive animals only can enter or reach the exposed poison rod. Inthis connection, the screening means suitably can take the form ofelements projecting from the lower part of the tubular element andhaving a shape similar to that of a screen roof or a visor.

These elements could be circumferential (the automatic poison dispenserthen being positionable freely so that the destructive animals will haveaccess from all sides), but preferably are provided in an asymmetric waysuch that they project substantially only at one side of the tubularelement, namely the side opposite the side of the tubular elementintended for application against a wall, a pole, a wire or cable, etc.in order to fasten the dispenser.

Instead of screen or baffle elements, preferably being unperforated andthus giving additional protection against water, rain or the like, saidscreening means can consist of separate rod elements, cage-like orbasket-like configurations or the like, more or less surrounding the endof the tubular element and the associated exposed end portion of thepoison rod in a suitable way.

Advantageously, at its last-mentioned end, the tubular element isprovided with means connecting to the opening of the tubular element,said means merely allowing the end portion of a poison rod which is tobe exposed, to project out of the opening of the tubular element. Thismeans preferably are cage-like or basket-like, the exposed end portionof the poison rod then lying therein, outside of the opening of tubularelement. However, other arrangements are also possible. For example, theend wall of the tubular element could be slotted or provided with holesin order to make it possible for the destructive animals to gnaw at theparts of the lowest poison rod end portion which are exposed beyond saidslots or openings, some kind of stop means then being provided acrossthe opening of the tubular element to prevent the poison rods fromsliding out of the tubular element.

Said means for causing an end portion only of the lowest poison rod tobe exposed can be arranged for co-action with said screening means inorder to prevent dogs, cats, etc. from reaching the poison rod endportion for example by means of a labyrinth effect.

According to the invention the tubular element suitably is provided witha number of inspection holes in its tubular wall, the holes beingdistributed along the length of the tubular element and with suitableintervals. These holes enable an easy check or examination of theremaining amount of poison preparation inside the automatic poisondispenser. To advantage, the poison rods are made in a highlycontrasting colour, red for instance, whereby generally it will bepossible to decide at a long distance (possibly while using aflashlight) how far up in the tubular element there is any poisonpreparation.

At its top, that is, at its end where a poison rod can be inserted, thetubular element can be provided with a lockable cover or the like,whereby the automatic poison dispenser--due to its otherwise firm andstable design--without any risks may be mounted in a more open way andaccessible to unauthorized people, out-of-doors for instance. Lockingcan be accomplished, for example, quite simply by passing a boltlaterally through opposite holes provided in the portions of said coveroverlying the walls of the tubular element in a dependent way andthrough holes provided in said walls of the tubular element, and byproviding a padlock, for instance, on the free end of said bolt.

It should be realized that the automatic poison dispenser, with orwithout inserted poison rods, is easy to handle, to transport and tostore. If poison rods are inserted and the cover is locked, there willbe very little risk of accidents in connection with transport and/orstoring.

According to an essential feature of the invention, each poison rod hasan end or terminal portion free of poison and of a length at least equalto the length of a poison rod end portion exposed when in the automaticpoison dispenser. When inserting each poison rod in the dispenser, saidend portion free of poison is caused to face upwards, thus ensuring thatthe last part or parts of each poison rod which possibly could fall outof the dispenser in connection with eating thereof, will be free frompoison.

According to a further aspect of this invention, there is provided apreparation against rodent destructive animals, such as rats and mice,for use in an automatic poison dispenser, the preparation having theform of a solid straight rod containing poison but in one of its endportions. Advantageously, the rod contains a mixture of poisonedso-called dry bait and a stabilizing material or holder, preferablyparaffin or the like. Suitably the rod contains about 1/3 of paraffinand 2/3 of dry bait.

Preferably, the dry bait is based upon one or more of the componentsoatmeal, wheat-flour, fish-meal, meat-meal and crushed biscuits. Thepoison used can be Warfarin or the stronger Crimidin or Bromadiolon.

Poison rods according to the invention will give little or no loss orwaste. They do not take up moisture or attract insects. They do not getmouldy. In other words, they have long durability. They are also simpleto handle and to store.

The invention will now be described more closely by exemplifyingembodiments while referring to the enclosed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical center section of a first embodiment ofan automatic poison dispenser in accordance with the invention, thedispenser being mounted against a wall and said section being takenperpendicularly to the wall;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the automatic poison dispenseraccording to FIG. 1. However, the dispenser is shown mounted in a cornerbetween two walls. Also, to make the illustration more clear the coverand the poison rods of the automatic poison dispenser have been removed;and

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial perspective view, taken obliquely frombelow of the lower part of a second embodiment of an automatic poisondispenser according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The automatic poison dispenser 1 shown schematically in FIG. 1 ismounted vertically against a wall 2 and rests on a floor 3. Theautomatic poison dispener comprises a cylindrical tubular element 5having a circular cross-section and provided with a cover or lid 7 atits top end, the cover closing the top opening 6 of the tubular element.At its lower end the tubular element is provided with a cage or basketdevice 8, as well as with a screening device 9. The cage device 8 restson the floor 3 and the tubular element 5 is fastened to the wall 2 bymeans of an upper clamp 11 and a lower clamp 12 of a kind not shown inmore detail. Inside the tubular element there are a number ofcylindrical poison rods 13 having a circular cross-section and beingstacked one upon the other. The poison rods have an outer diameter thatis somewhat less than the inner diameter of the tubular element 5.

The cage device 8 consists of two wire elements 15, 17 bent essentiallyinto U-shape and arranged in two vertical planes perpendicular to eachother. The free wire element ends of the two U-elements are welded tothe outside of the lower end wall of the tubular element 5. OneU-element 15 has a base portion 15' bent upwards and inwards towards thetubular element 5, so that the element, in principle, has the shape of aW. The other U-element 17 has shorter vertical legs below the loweropening 19 of the tubular element. The horizontal base portion 17' ofthis element extends just below the upper curved top portion 15" of thebase portion 15'.

The lower end surface 21 of the lowest or bottom poison rod 13 rests onsaid top portion 15" essentially in one point, whereby a predeterminedend portion 13' of the lowest poison rod 13 will be exposed as a wholein the cage device 8, the wire elements of which are spaced such thatrodents easily will have access to the end portion 13' from below andfrom the side. As the lowest poison rod gradually is eaten, there willbe an automatic feeding of the poison rods downwards inside the tubularelement 5, as long as there are still any poison rod therein. Thecontents of poison rods 13 can be checked through inspection holes 25provided in the front wall of the tubular element 5, said holes beingprovided with regular intervals. Refill can be made quite easily fromabove by removing the cover 7.

The upper or top end portion 13" of each poison rod 13 (the boundary ofsaid top end portion being indicated by means of a broken line) is freefrom poison and has a length at least somewhat longer than the length ofthe exposed end portion 13', so that no poisonous end pieces can falldown onto the floor and/or out of the dispenser in conjunction with theconsuming of the last part of a poison rod by a destructive animal.

U-element 15 comprises a stop element resting on the floor 3, wherebythe lower end surface 21 of the poison rod 13 will be held at apredetermined distance from the floor. This means that the screeningdevice 9 also will be held at a predetermined distance from the floor 3,whereby well-defined access or entrance openings suitable fordestructive animals will be ensured. In the position of use shown, theaccess or entrance openings primarily will be along the wall 2 on bothsides of the automatic poison dispenser, that is, in principle whendestructive animals such as rats and mice preferably move.

Screening device 9 has the form of a horizontal screen or baffle plate31 projecting substantially from the front half of the tubular element 5and having an essentially oval outer contour, a downwards projectingvertical screen or baffle plate 33 connecting thereto in the form of apartial cylinder surface. The height thereof decreases backwards towardsthe tubular element 5 and the wall 2, where there is less need for ascreening effect.

Also, screening device 9 having this directional effect is particularlywell adapted for use in such cases where the automatic poison device isto be mounted in a wall corner, as should be clear from FIG. 2. In sucha case it may, however, be necessary to adapt the height of the screenplate 33 and/or the height of the wire element 15 such that there willbe enough entrance room below the plate 33, at least from the sides.

In FIG. 3 there is shown an alternative embodiment of a screening device9' for an automatic poison device according to the invention. In thiscase the screening device 9' consists of a curved screen or baffle platewhich, generally speaking, projects obliquely downwards from the tubularelement 5 towards one side thereof, the plate having the configurationof a cap-peak or visor. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the two U-elements15,17 have changed places.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown anddescribed, but changes and modifications are possible within the scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims. Thus, the means forcausing an end portion of a poison rod to be exposed and the screeningmeans could of course be combined in the same means.

What is claimed is:
 1. Automatic poison dispenser for rodent destructiveanimals, such as rats and mice, comprising:an at least substantiallyclosed straight tubular element containing a poison preparation in theform of one or more solid rods axially stacked one upon the other, therods being adapted to slide easily within the tubular element; thetubular element arranged, at one end, to allow the insertion of saidpoison rods and, at the other end, to allow an end portion only of thepoison rod located at said end to be at least partially exposed when thedispenser is in a position of use; the poison rods arranged, when in aposition of use, to be fed successively towards said other end of thetubular element due to the influence of gravitational forces; thetubular element, at said other end, provided with screening meansarranged to prevent larger animals from accessing the exposed endportion of the poison rod, at least when the dispenser is in anessentially vertical position of use, but to allow rodent destructiveanimals to access the exposed end portion of the poison rod from belowand/or from the side; and each poison rod having an end portion facingsaid one end of the tubular element and being free from poison andhaving a length at least equal to the length of an exposed end portionof a poison rod, whereby the last portion or portions of a poison rodwhich can possibly fall out of the dispenser in conjunction with eatingwill be free from poison.
 2. Automatic poison dispenser according toclaim 1, wherein the tubular element, at its said other end, is providedwith cage-like means connected with the opening of the tubular elementfor allowing said end portion of a poison rod to project out of theopening of the tubular element.
 3. Automatic poison dispenser accordingto claim 2, wherein said screening means includes a screen elementprojecting laterally from said other end of the tubular element andextending axially over the exposed end portion of the poison rod. 4.Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said screenelement projects essentially on one side of the tubular element suchthat the tubular element can be positioned substantially close to avertical support.
 5. Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 4,wherein said screen element substantially has the shape of a visor. 6.Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the tubularelement has a number of spaced through-holes along its length andprovided in the wall of the tubular element, whereby the contents ofpoison rods can be readily checked from the outside.
 7. Automatic poisondispenser according to claim 1, wherein the tubular element, at its saidother end, is provided with projecting stop means for causing theexposed end portion of a poison rod and said screening means to be in apredetermined position relative to a base when the dispenser is in aposition of use in contact with said base.
 8. Automatic poison dispenseraccording to claim 2, wherein the tubular element has a number of spacedthrough-holes along its length and provided in the wall of the tubularelement, whereby the contents of poison rods can be readily checked fromthe outside.
 9. Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 4, whereinthe tubular element has a number of spaced through-holes along itslength and provided in the wall of the tubular element, whereby thecontents of poison rods can be readily checked from the outside. 10.Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the tubularelement, at its said other end, is provided with projecting stop meansfor causing the exposed end portion of a poison rod and said screeningmeans to be in a predetermined position relative to a base when thedispenser is in a position of use in contact with said base. 11.Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the tubularelement, at its said other end, is provided with projecting stop meansfor causing the exposed end portion of a poison rod and said screeningmeans to be in a predetermined position relative to a base when thedispenser is in a position of use in contact with said base. 12.Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said cage-likemeans includes said stop means.
 13. Automatic poison dispenser forrodent destructive animals, comprising:an at least substantially closedstraight tubular element containing a poison preparation in the form ofone or more solids rods axially stacked one upon the other, the rodsbeing adapted to slide easily within the tubular element; the tubularelement arranged, at one end, to allow the insertion of said poison rodsand, at the other end, to allow an end portion only of the poison rodlocated at said other end to be at least partially exposed when thedispenser is in a position of use; the poison rods arranged, when in aposition of use, to be fed successively towards said other end of thetubular element due to the influence of gravitational forces; thetubular element, at said other end, provided with screening meansarranged to prevent larger animals from accessing the exposed endportion of the poison rod, at least when the dispenser is in anessentially vertical position of use, but to allow rodent destructiveanimals to access the exposed end portion of the poison rod from belowand/or from the side, said screening means comprising cage-like meansconnected with the opening of the tubular element for allowing theexposed end portion of a poison rod to project out of the opening of thetubular element while being surrounded by said cage-like means, saidscreening means also comprising a screen element encompassing acircumferential portion of said tubular element, said screen elementprojecting laterally from said tubular element proximate said other end,said screen element extending in an axial direction over the exposed endportion of the poison rod; and means for securing the tubular elementessentially vertically on a vertical wall support such that the exposedend portion is at a predetermined distance from an adjacent horizontalbase, said screen element extending essentially from one side of thetubular element such that an opposite side of the tubular element can bepositioned adjacent the vertical wall support, said screen elementhaving a lower rim which is inclined downwardly as said screen elementextends laterally from said tubular element, whereby said screen elementprovides substantially less access to said poison rod end portion fromsaid one side than from along the vertical wall support.
 14. Automaticpoison dispenser according to claim 13, wherein the tubular element, atits said other end, is provided with projecting stop means, said stopmeans causing the exposed end portion of a poison rod and said screeningmeans to be in a predetermined position relative to the horizontal basewhen the dispenser is in a position of use with said stop means incontact with said horizontal base.
 15. Automatic poison dispenseraccording to claim 14, wherein the tubular element has a number ofspaced through-holes along its length and provided in the wall of thetubular element, whereby the contents of poison rods can be readilychecked from the outside.
 16. Automatic poison dispenser according toclaim 14, wherein said cage-like means includes said stop means. 17.Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 14, further comprisingmeans for locking the tubular element at said one end to preventunauthorized access to the interior of the tubular element. 18.Automatic poison dispenser according to claim 14, wherein said screeningmeans is adapted to cooperate with adjacent portions of said verticalsupport and said base to give a screening effect when the dispenser isin the position of use.
 19. Automatic poison dispenser according toclaim 18, wherein said screen element and said cage-like means arearranged to give a labyrinth screening effect.